The invention resides in an ultrasound cutting device with at least one ultrasound transducer, at least one sound conductor and at least one cutting blade, wherein the sound conductor is arranged between the ultrasound transducer the cutting blade so as to interconnect the two and wherein the longitudinal center axis of the sound conductor extends along a line which deviates from a straight line.
Such an ultrasound cutting device for cutting food items such as baked products, cheese, fish or similar products to be cut, is known from DE 43 19 832 A1. The cutting device disclosed therein comprises a cutting blade which extends essentially in a plane and which is connected at its end remote from the blade tip to a sound conductor forming therewith a single piece. A section of the sound conductor spaced from the cutting blade is threaded to an ultrasound transducer so that the ultrasound oscillations can be coupled into the sound conductor in the longitudinal direction of that cutting blade. Between the ultrasound transducer and the cutting blade, the sound conductor includes a 90° bend with a predetermined radius of curvature which extends in a plane normal to the plane in which the cutting blade is disposed and in the longitudinal direction of the cutting blade. At the end, which is connected to the cutting blade, the curved area converges toward the cutting blade Inc continuously differentiable manner. Via a course which deviates from the straight line of the sound conductor, the sound conductor is excited to vibrate in the longitudinal direction of the cutting blade as well as in a plane extending normal to the plane of the cutting blade. Herein, the vibration component in a direction normal to the plane of the cutting blade provides for a reduction of the friction between the flanks of the cutting blade and the product to be cut. Still, during cutting a certain amount of friction will occur, which limits the cutting speed. It has also been found that the cutting blade is subjected by the ultrasound vibrations at different locations to different mechanical loads.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an ultrasound cutting device of the type described above, which is of a compact design but nevertheless has a high cutting speed and facilitates a uniform mechanical stress of the cutting blade.